Valley Splendor 

Granville Redmond’s “Valley Splendor” is an oil painting, likely made en plein air, meaning outdoors. The material of oil paint lends itself beautifully to capturing light and atmosphere. Redmond's technique, using visible brushstrokes, adds a tactile quality to the scene. Look closely, and you can almost feel the texture of the foliage and the warmth of the sun. The work has a direct connection to labor and the land. Paintings like these were not just artistic endeavors; they were connected to the burgeoning tourist industry, advertising the California landscape as a destination. Redmond was part of a community of artists who made a living through this kind of work, producing landscapes that romanticized nature. Understanding “Valley Splendor” means appreciating the way Redmond translated his physical experience of the world into paint, a process deeply interwoven with the social and economic forces of his time. This reminds us that even landscape painting has a close relationship to both craft and commerce.